The Wu-Tang Clan have been through more than share of ups and downs over the years, but there’s no denying that they brought back a much needed grit to rap music when they hit the scene in in 1992 with their self-released ‘Protect Ya Neck’/’After The Laughter Comes Tears’ single. RZA’s master plan to get everyone separate solo deals on different record labels was inspired, although it clearly worked out a lot for better for some. Fast forward to 2015, and all of the original squad (with the exception of the late, great Ol’ Dirty Bastard) are still releasing music in some shape or form. What I’m interested to gauge is who you consider to have done the best job at keeping themselves lyrically sharp? Who are you still hyped to hear a guest verse or a new track from? Are you tired of hearing Ghostface rapping with bands? Has Raekwon become over-exposed? Has GZA become a an angry old wino who’s best days are behind him? Will Method Man ever make an album worthy of his talents?

DJ 7L, Esoteric and Inspektah Deck really stepped it up this time, as both this bundle package and the track listing of the second Czarface album demonstrates. A full length comic book, t-shirt, tape, stickers, coloured vinyl are all included if you want to go all-in. The good news is the comic is included with the regular CD and vinyl versions too.

First single from the second Czarface album, Every Hero Needs A Villain, due this summer.

DJ 7L sez:

First leak from the new Czarface record is “Deadly Class” featuring Meyhem Lauren. Been a fan of his for a minute, we linked up a few years back at the BAU release party which was around when we were working on the new Czar album. I think Eso and Deck have never sounded better I really can’t wait for the fans to hear it. This song was recorded at the mid point of the album and remembering hearing it and was like “man this keeps getting better”. Eso added that chop at the end with iphone battery line that to me is just genius with the sample. This is just the leak, more info music, art on the way!

United Crates has put together a superb collection of Ason Unique deep cuts and freestyles to mark the recent 20th anniversary of the Return To The 36 Chambers album. A timely reminder that Wu-Tang is for the children.

Just saw this advertised on Facebook. Does anybody know what the final track titled ‘Unexplained’ is? I’ve read elsewhere that this was the alternative name for ‘Swordsman,’ but since that’s listed as well it must be a totally different song…

The mastermind responsible for the mighty Wu-Tang has finally reunited with the original crew to celebrate their 20th anniversary with a new album and a new approach. The RZA has been more focused on the film world in recent years, but it seemed like the perfect time to talk about his founding days and what lead up to him creating the infamous Wu-Tang sound, which reminded the rap world of it’s humble beginnings in the basement during a time when everything was getting a little too polished.

Robbie: What sparked you off to want to start making music?

RZA: My cousin, the GZA, had took me to a block party. I probably was 8 years-old, and the DJ was deejaying and somebody had grabbed the microphone and was saying some lyrics like, ‘Dip, dip, dive. so-socialize/Clean out your ears and you open your eyes.’ I started repeatin’ that, and a year later the GZA – he’s three or four years older than me – he started making his little rhymes, him and his homeboys were trying to make their little DJ set, and I would watch them. At the age of nine, the first rap record comes on the radio – Sugarhill Gang. When that happened I knew that’s what I was gonna do, I knew that I’m gonna have my voice on the radio, because they proved to me that it was possible.(more…)

It turns out that Ghostface being on a reality TV show is the greatest thing since 3-6 Mafia tried to open a restaurant with Big Pussy and Elliot Spitzer‘s hoo-er. In the second episode, Pretty Toney discovers some troubling news about his broad…(more…)

This shameless attempt to pander to the CRC crowd actually works on the strength of Meth’s superb contribution. That being said, an A$AP Mob song being posted on Unkut may just signal the coming of the apocolypse.

One of the highlights of the forthcoming Marco Polo album PA2: The Director’s Cut, as Large, Rebel INS, O.C. and Trag all go in. DJ Revolution steals the show, however, with what can only be described as scratching so great it should be illegal.

If you missed out on the box set edition, or simply don’t have the room for larger rap memorabilia, you can grab this slipcase edition of Raekwon The Chef‘s Only Built For Cuban Linx… to celebrate the 18th anniversary of it’s release.